Scalise Narrowly Wins GOP's House Speaker Nomination, But Faces Uphill Battle for Final Victory
The Republicans in the House of Representatives narrowly choose Steve Scalise as their nominee for House speaker, but he still needs to secure the necessary votes for the position. Opposition from some lawmakers and concerns about Scalise's health and plans for government funding complicate his nomination. Despite these challenges, Republicans aim to avoid a public fight and unite behind their nominee. Scalise has a long history in politics and has emphasized his ability to build consensus within the Republican caucus. If elected speaker, he would take control of the House at a critical time for passing spending bills and amid an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
Republicans in the House of Representatives have chosen Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., as their nominee for House speaker in a closed-door election, narrowly defeating House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, by a vote of 113-99. However, Scalise has yet to secure the 217 votes necessary to win on the House floor, leaving the nomination uncertain. Several lawmakers, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., have expressed opposition to Scalise for various reasons, such as concerns about his health and a lack of a viable plan for avoiding an omnibus spending bill.
Despite these challenges, Republicans are determined to avoid a prolonged public fight and unite behind their nominee. Steve Scalise, 58, has an extensive background in politics, starting from his time as speaker of LSU's student government association to serving as a member of the Louisiana State Legislature for 12 years before being elected to the U.S. House. He became chairman of the influential Republican Study Group in 2012 and survived a shooting incident in 2017 while playing in a congressional baseball game, which led to a long recovery. In August of this year, Scalise announced his diagnosis of multiple myeloma and started treatment.
If Scalise were to become speaker, Reps. Tom Emmer and Kevin Hern are potential candidates to fill his role as House majority leader. The timing for the House speaker vote remains uncertain, with Scalise currently lacking the necessary votes to win. Lawmakers opposing Scalise have cited concerns about his association with the "status quo" and his proposed plans for government funding.
Democratic leadership sources expect to receive advance notice from Republicans when the vote will be brought to the floor, but nothing has been confirmed. Scalise, in his bid for speaker, emphasized his track record of building consensus within the Republican caucus and criticized the Biden administration's handling of issues such as inflation, the national debt, energy, crime, and immigration. If Scalise were to secure the speakership, he would take control of the House at a critical time when passing spending bills to keep the government open before November 17 is a priority. Additionally, House Republicans have initiated an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, alleging personal profiting from policy decisions made during his vice presidency – though direct evidence linking Biden to any wrongdoing has not been produced.
